


Flower - Poinsettia

by whoknowswhere



Category: Star vs. The Forces Of Evil
Genre: Happy Holiday, Happy Life, M/M, Parallel Universes, Sorta Happy Ending, Waited to Meet Again
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-13
Updated: 2019-12-13
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:21:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21774367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whoknowswhere/pseuds/whoknowswhere
Summary: Tom’s eyes wandered from the notes on his table to the withering Poinsettia beside a lifeless body.  The demon in front of him bears no vital signs like a porcelain doll, eyes shut tight and skin cold as morning frost. Yet the king of underworld sighed with content.He lost count on how many years he awaits the fully awakening of this demon.“Poinsettia.” Tom called his name under his breath, mind wandered aimlessly, “Today will be the day.”
Relationships: Marco Diaz & Tom Lucitor, Marco Diaz/Tom Lucitor, Star Butterfly/Marco Diaz
Comments: 6
Kudos: 82





	Flower - Poinsettia

Tom’s eyes wandered from the notes on his table to the withering Poinsettia beside a lifeless body. The demon in front of him bears no vital signs like a porcelain doll, eyes shut tight and skin cold as morning frost. Yet the king of underworld sighed with content. His fingers smoothed the wrinkle on the demon’s silky gown, as he carefully covered him with down quilt.

He lost count on how many years he awaits the fully awakening of this demon.

“Poinsettia.” Tom called his name under his breath, mind wandered aimlessly, “Today will be the day.”

***

For many moments in his life Marco felt part of him was frozen in time, never grew up along with his body. If he had to give that feeling a defining event, it was probably when the portal to underworld completely closed.

It was the first Christmas after earth and Mewni combined, and Marco was determined to introduce Christmas to both his otherworldly friends after that wracking Stump Day they had on Mewni. Even though the portal malfunctioned numerous times before it was sealed permanently, nobody put too much thoughts in it as they are fully immersed in the holiday spirit.

Afterall, Christmas is about joy and togetherness and peace and …

“So…somebody was born on this day, that was why all the human on earth celebrate this day?” Tom asked with one of his eyebrows slanted upwards.

“No that was not…”

“Is it because he’s kinda like …a wisdomfull prince so everybody worships him?”

“No, Star, and wisdomfull is not a word.” Marco sighed.

“Either way, I like the Christmas day, the street is so shiny and colorful and white~“ Star’s eyes glittered like silver dust, she turned to Tom, who is suspiciously investigating a pot of Poinsettia, “what do you think, Tom?”

“Finally! A plant looked like it was from the underworld!” Tom pointed the petal with his sharp nail, “except…I guess the stamens won’t breath fire and chew on people’s finger.”

Swallowed the comments regarding how much he thought the stamens of Poinsettia looks like a bunch of eyeless heads, Marco nodded,” Yeah...yeah, they are a bit poisonous for human and pets, but otherwise pretty beautiful and bright.”

“So…it’s more like a decoration?” Tom was done fiddling with the stamens, he turned around and noticed nobody carried Poinsettia, “What a shame, it could have been some date night bouquet.”

“Well, maybe you could give it a magic boost, or bring it back to the underworld and see if it grows there.” Marco jokingly suggested.

He started talking about the Christmas traditions, the gifts, the eggnogs and the good wishes, letting Tom and Star know what to expect next.

At the Christmas Eve Tom had trouble teleporting back to the underworld, but since he could still call his parents, they did not think it was one of those magical portal closing episodes. Tom’s parents promised to send a devil the next morning, and let Tom stayed over at Marco’s.

It was the longest time Marco spend with Tom alone. They chatted, laughed uncontrollably despite Marco’s parents’ complaints, played video game all night. Marco offered Tom different kinds of holiday food, but Tom was particularly intrigued by the white overly sweet cow milk beverage.

“So…”Tom licked the eggnog off his lips, “There will be this..Santa Claws coming to drop off the presents?”

“Not…really, I mean that’s the story, but I am not sure if he …” Marco want to correct Tom’s understanding, but quickly catch Mariposa from the corner of his eyes. From her sleepy eyes and loose pajama Marco could tell she causally wondered to their room and captured part of their conversation.

“Santa is not..coming?” Mariposa asked with the most helpless and saddest tone in the world, looked like she was about to drop down and cry at any moment.

“Of course! He’s coming, Mariposa..What I meant to say is…” Marco frantically walked to his sister and held her hand, “…I meant to say that..Tom! might not get a present this year, since he’s so new to Earth, he might not be on Santa’s list.” He tried to divert Mariposa’s attention so badly that Tom’s name came out of his throat sharp like a squeaking rooster.

Also…will devil be on Santa’s list at all?

“Eh…Ok?” Tom lifted one of his eyebrows.

“Really?” Mariposa turned her head at Tom, “Mister Tom will not get a present?”

“I guess…not?” Under the intense gaze of Marco, Tom gave her a carefree shrug and reaffirming smile, then turned the Marco with a serious face, "Wait why Not? I have been nice! I only burn one building to the ground this year."

Marco paused for a second to give him a "serious?!" look before he turned back to Mariposa.

“…Then big bro, I can give one of my presents to Mister Tom? “

“You …want to give Tom your present?” Marco kneeled before Mariposa and asked.

“Yeah, I have a lot of gifts from my friends and mom and dad and you, Mister Tom can have mine, he’s gonna get a present from Santa next year, right?”

Both of the boys looked at Mariposa with adoration and a sense of protection.

“Yes!” Marco replied, “And don’t worry, Mariposa, I will get Tom a present too.” He said as he accompanied Mariposa back to her room.

Tom waited till Marco walked Mariposa back to her own room and came back.“Man, you sister is lovely, I wish I have a sister like her.”

Marco chuckled, “Sure, but she is wild when she’s fully awake. I am not sure if underworld can handle her.”

“Either way, you are a good brother, I am sure you will be a good dad in the future.”

Marco wasn’t sure why Tom said that, maybe it was a demonic instinct, or Tom was just really tired.

The next morning Tom got a brooch pin from Mariposa.

He remembered Tom holding this gem Poinsettia pin dearly in his hand without blinking for a full minute. The pin was purchased from a local craftsman, without saying the gem might not be the best quality, but the handywork is evidential.

Tom stood there speechlessly, then slowly put it in his pocket with a grim on his face.

Soon, the devil bided them adieu and left for home world later that morning, Marco prepared a boutique of poinsettia as a temporary Christmas gift to Tom. He told Tom how to plant it from stalk in soil, nurture it and when to water.

Tom happily accepted the flower and returned home.

It was the last time Marco saw him in person.

Before new year Marco made a call to Tom, before he can start his usual greeting, he heard Tom practically yelled from the other side of the mirror.

“Marco?!” His voice was sketchy and the image on the mirror was distorted.

“Tom? What happen?”

“Marco, the portal won’t open and I can’t make phone calls for a few days.”

“What…?” Marco want to make a phone call to Star, but before he would put down the phone, he heard Tom screamed.

“Don’t do anything to interrupted the connection we have now!” Tom held on the mirror so tight Marco can hear sounds of mirror cracking.

“Ok! Ok! What to do next?”

“I don’t know, Marco, the sorcerer here said the portal to human world might be closing forever.” Tom breathed in rapidly.

“What…?” Marco stared him in shock.

“Listen to me Marco, we might…we might not see each other for a long long time, I am not sure…if I can reach you this way again. Tell everyone that I will miss them a lot.” Tom sounded defeated. Marco cannot imagine how frustrated and terrified he must be within the last a few days.

He could…but…

Marco watched Tom with a blank mind. A world without Tom, what a despairing imagination.

“Tom, No…”

“Marco, listen, as for you…” Tom bit his lips and tried to summarize his “last words”, “I will…I will see you later, Ok?”

“When … Tom?”

“When you are…ready.” Tom said with his head nodding, “When you are ready, I will see you again, OK?”

“How, when…?”

Tom gave him a sad smile, the one that made Marco think that if Tom was here, his hand would be touching Marco’s cheek.

“You belong to me, Marco.” Tom responded with lover’s tone that made people’s face burn up, “We will see each other again... When You Are Ready....”

“What are you talking about? Tom? Tom!” Marco blinked at that statement. Before he had a chance to ask a follow up question, the screen went completely black.

***

“You belong to me.” What a strange, possessive yet passionate confession. The words make his heartbeat increase, the tone used to whisper sweet nothingness makes him blush. Marco remembered him running to Star to seek an answer. Star spend days and nights searching for one with no result.

As day went by, he can tell Star spend less and less time working on it, he cannot blame anyone; life has to go on.

Marco recalled this sentence at the night of his wedding with Star.

The night he wished Tom would be there to witness the union of two families.

Everyone was blind drunk at the dining hall included Star. He tried to carry Star to their hotel room yet stopped at the entrance of their floor.

It was an early November, maybe it was too early the bring out the Christmas flower of the year, but there it is.

Marco stared at the flower prolongingly as everything around him started fading into darkness, leaving the poinsettia glowing in front of him. The flowers’ fresh crimson burned like hellfire, reminded him of the hair color of certain demon.

_\-- Congratulation, buddy. But don’t forget, you belong to me._

He shot his head up at the speed that nearly cracked his neck. The hallway was bright as ever with guests walking by and undetectable sounds of chatting from each individual room. 

“Sugar plum what happened~?” Star slurred, gave Marco and drunk lazy smile.

“No...nothing, you are just way too drunk, and what’s with that nickname? Let me get you to our room.” He breathed in and lifted Star off the floor, left the glowing poinsettia behind.

***

Marco buried that memory of his best friend’s voice from wedding night deep until one December, a few years after his wedding.

It was really a last-minute detour; Marco normally gave his family their present way before the actual holiday, and never went back to that house until after Christmas. That year his orders came late, with a post office on strike, he had to drop off presents at his parents’ house.

“Big bro~” Mariposa came to the door and gave him a huge hug.

“Wow easy, the presents might fall!” Marco laughed and managed to carried the presents at the dining room table, “How’s it going, Mariposa?”

“Good, I just got acceptance letters to university, a few, actually.”

Marco continued to carry the presents to the Christmas tree, smiled proudly at her good news, “That’s Great! One second, just let me…”

He saw a tiny, black velvet gift box tied with lavender bow sat quietly under the tree. Marco nearly dropped his gift boxes.

“Oh…eh…” Mariposa’s shoulder twitched at the sight of the present, reluctantly opened her mouth, as if her brother just stepped on a land mine she unintentionally set up, “That…was for Tom.”

TOM.

Marco could feel his eyes watered up, then quickly suppressed those emotions, “I… didn’t know you prepared it for him.”

“Yeah…yeah, I promised him, right? To give him a present from me.”

Promise…

_\-- When you are ready, I will see you again. You belong to me, Marco._

“Big bro?”

“That…is very nice of you, Mariposa.” Marco exhaled a weak laugh, “I will...I will see you after Christmas, say hi to mom and dad.”

“Big bro!” Mariposa yelled before Marco left for the door, she then regretted her action, looking even more hesitant when she asked the next question, “Do you…believe Tom will come back.”

Marco kept his eyes on the doorframe so hard he forgot to talk for a second, “…I guess…Star is still working on that…day and night.”

“But do you believe he would come back?”

Marco cannot find the courage to turn back to Mariposa, he lost a lot of that when he grew up. Someday he wondered which magical pond did Mariposa find the courage to keep believing, and whether that would ever disappear from his little sis.

He did not know what Tom mean by “when you are ready”, when was he not ready for anything?

Once in a blue moon, Marco would fail to suppress those thoughts to the back of his head. Maybe Tom has forgotten about him, maybe …he is doing just fine without him. Afterall, he is the prince and future king of the underworld, no reason to bend over backwards to open the portal again. Human Marco is just…a nobody.

“I…don’t know, Mariposa.” Marco opened the door; let the cold breeze woke him up from his last bit of hope and fantasy. “I will see you around.”

***

In a cold winter day, Star gave birth to Marco’s second child Jacob. Can’t wait to see if Jacob can wear some of his clothes, Marco climbed into the attic to search for them only to see his outfits from those magical days.

By this time of his life he is a bulky, beard and raddle middle aged man, unmoved and unyielding as like any people of his age. Yet he was caught off guard and spaced out at the sword and leather jacket.

“I believe he will come for me.”

Marco lifted his head to the voice under the sunlight from a crack window of the attic, cold breath seeping through his mouth. Soon he realized it was his older daughter’s voice, Oceania does sound like young Marco.

He quickly climbed down from the attic with his old clothes, greeted by the exciting Oceania.

“Who will come?” Marco smiled at his Burnette hair princess.

“Santa, I am on his list of good children this year, right, dad?”

_Tom will be on Santa’s list next year._

_“Of course, Tom, you will be on the list this year.”_

Oceania looked puzzled, “Who’s Tom?”

Ding---Dong!

Marco felt choked on his words, but luckily saved by the doorbell.

“I will get the door, sweetie, I meant you are on Santa’s list.” He slurred his explanation and practically ran to the door.

Oceania nodded her head and walk back to Star.

“Hello my jewel, did daddy get the old clothes? “Star gave her girl a kiss on the forehead.

“Yeah…Mommy, who’s Tom?”

Star blinked her eyes, “Who…told you that name?”

“Dad said Tom will be on Santa’s list this year.”

Marco opened the door to a large bouquet of Poinsettia. The flower made its way to mainstream choice of gift flower by its recent popularity, however the Diaz family never received any flower for Christmas.

He did not ask who order the flowers, only to carry them in. Silently Marco found a good spot in the reading room for the Poinsettia, then sit down to observe the stamen.

It was no different than the ordinary Poinsettia from his memory except the strange red glow.

_\-- See, you are a good father, Marco._

“…” Marco fell off his chair at the echoes and landed on his knee upon hearing that voice. It’s Tom’s voice, only lower and baritone. He crawled to the pot and caressed the petal with his rough finger.

Marco observed the poinsettia, yet after minutes looking up and down, he could not find any abnormal signs.

He leaned back against the wall, laughed at himself while weakly whisper his answer, “Yes…I guess I am.”

His voice broken, “When will I be ready, Tom?”

“Tom is a very good friend of dad.” Star smoothed Oceania’s hair, talked quietly to her daughter, feared Marco might hear her mentioning Tom’s name, “He...left us many years ago without a proper farewell, leaving everyone heartbroken, but it hits your dad the hardest.”

Marco sobbed quietly in the reading room, feared Star and his children would hear the noise he made. He backed into a corner next to the poinsettia, held them in his arms and stared at them with t fatigued eyes, as if at any minute, Tom would emerge from this plant and take him away.

“Tom. When will I be ready?”

“Your dad never told me why he was so sad over Tom’s disappearance…” Star sighed, “Maybe it’s because he was still waiting for an answer from Tom.”

Marco sighed at the dusky sky, he wasn’t tired, but he can’t help to close his eyes and let the nameless helpless sense of defeat washed over him.

“When will I be ready?”

Strangely Marco never heard Tom’s voice from that day on.

His memory of teenagerhood slowly fainted as he watched his daughter and son grow up, as he watched himself age. He was there to support his children after their breakups, the passing of he and Star’s parents, the birth of his friends’ children, he attended his own children’s school orientations, convocations, weddings and the births of his grandchildren.

At the age of fifty-eight, Marco had a stroke. In combined with a heavy storm on the way to the hospital, at the moment of lucidity, he came to the awareness that fate was not rooting for him to win.

As he watched his family running through the dimming hallway of the hospital with his one eye opened, he knew that he almost had no remorse no regrets. He had a good life, an energetic and caring companion, nice and kind children and grandchildren. 

If only…

He thought to himself, if only he knew what Tom was about to say so many years back. Star never managed to find a way to reopen the portal, it goes without saying that he will never see Tom again.

During the surgery Marco had a mirage-like delusion, or a beautiful near-death experience.

He opened his eyes to ocean of poinsettia glowing around him, circle him in a mysterious bedroom.

“What…where…?” He looked down at his hand, all too surprised to find out that he is looking at a pair of smooth skin hands. Marco turned to a full-size mirror nearby to see himself in it. He is in a young demon body dressed in royal traje de luces.

Other than the obvious horns and two extra eyes on his forehead, the face and features of this body bears a lot of resemblance of an 18-year Marco. Other than being a little bit wobbly and numb from sleeping on the bed unmoved, he felt weightless and strong again, his skin tightened and muscle toned. He could walk and jump without dragging his feet, he did not feel windy as he move to stretch his body.

“Hey…”

Marco froze, then reluctantly turned to the source of the voice.

“Tom……?”

Tom looked different than what Marco remembered.

The now demon king is at least 6 feet 2 tall, his spiky hair extended to his back. The floppiness of his groom and structured face made he look so much calmer and cultivated. He approached Marco with grace and etiquette without losing his speed.

He is also incredibly dreamy. Marco mentally frowned at this teenage-girlish adjective, yet he cannot find a more accurate term after he scrambled his brain for seconds.

Tom is incredibly dreamy as the ruler of underworld, with black and velvet raiment and sash laid crossing from his left should to the right lower back; his horn grew for another 3-4 inches upwards and his canine tooth sharpen.

Tom tried to smile to break the ice, Marco sworn he can see glittering tears at the corner of Tom’s eyes, “Poinsettia, you are finally here.”

Poinsettia? Who’s that? Marco felt he just swallowed a large of amount of words back down his throat like some nasty flies, it nauseated him.

He uncomfortably stiffed up upon Tom’s greeting, awkwardly added Tom’s title, “Prince…Tom?”

“I am a king now…but please, there is no need to be formal, it’s just the two of us.” Tom eagerly walked towards him with an ever-bigger smile on his face, “Are you feeling alright? Any discomfort?” 

Marco had never been so confused in his life, and that says a lot considered his life mate is Star. He could vaguely guess that maybe this body belongs a demon, who, judged from Tom’s reaction, was a lover of Tom.

Yet under Tom’s passionate gaze Marco did not have the courage to admit his true identity, “I am feeling…ok…Tom.”

“That’s great, the doctor wants me to make sure you are ok, you had been sleeping for a long time. We do have to exercise your muscle a bit…what do you want to do?”

“I …uh… I don’t really know…” Marco was dumbfounded. He wasn’t even sure where he should stand, let alone deciding what kind of exercise he should perform.

“Do you mind…?” Tom asked with some hesitation, “I mean…if you are still tired, it’s alright to refuse me…do you, would you mind dance with me?” soft smile spread over his face; his eyes followed young demon’s facial expression tenderly. Without detecting signs of refusal, Tom kneeled on his one knee.

“King… Tom, you don’t have to kneel.”

“Well… That’s what I feel like doing.” Tom did not change his idiotic smile, “what do you say, do you want to indulge me with a dance? I waited so long for this moment.”

I must be dying, and this is my last wish being fulfilled, to see Tom one last time before I depart, to remember his face before my memory turned into atoms along with my body. Marco thought to himself.

“Of course.” Marco pulled Tom up, waited till he was steady on his feet.

With a snap of his finger, their surrounding shift from a bedroom to a luxurious grand ball room. Tom lead him into the heart of the platform. When the music started, his hair flamed up and flied as they waltz, his gaze burned warmly surrounding them, his scent smelled of aphrodisiac and his present was an alluring dream, his steps circling the room with lightened fire.

All the candles dimmed and the glowing poinsettia hinted the edge of the marble floor.

He never knew Tom could be such an amorous prince, who is capable of romance his love interest to submission. His felidas eyes drew every minor detail of every inch of his curve above the fire, Marco could sense the thrill and temptation rolling off the prince’s body. Yet Tom kept all the actions at bay.

Did Star know Tom is such a good dancer? Did she look into his devoted eyes and feel she was the only girl in the world for Tom? Does she know Tom can woo anyone with dance, the music and sights?

As the demon king’s fire slaked, Marco found out that they were stepping on patterns of glassy stained window, colored their faces in rainbow hue. Eventually they stopped their dance with the music dying, and Tom decided to led him to the nearest divan facing the balcony.

“Tom…” Marco sighed and leaned his head on Tom’s shoulder. He knew he wasn’t this Poinsettia, but Tom’s nonchalant interactions with him calmed his nerve.

“Yes?” Tom looked down.

“I…kinda… need to let you know that I am not…I don’t remember who Poinsettia is.”

To Marco’s surprise, Tom was not upset about this statement at all. On the contrary, he placed his hand firmly on Marco’s arm and embraced his warmth.

“It is expected to not know who you are if you were just born today.”

“I…I was?”

Tom nodded, “Your body was formed decades ago, I made your body for my human friend. But it was just an empty shell… even as demon we still need soul to live.” He intentionally left out Marco’s first name, not wanting to confuse his demon further.

For...me? Marco frowned. Tom did not have any other human friend as he recalled.

“Human souls sometimes go to underworld after they die, and that was what happen to my friend. Your body now has my friend’s soul.” Tom explained.

“This is …my body?”

Mine? Marco’s? Poinsettia’s?

“Yes, my apology for the confusion, this must be a lot to take in. Sometimes it takes time for the soul to recall previous memories when it took on a new body, the memories will come back sooner or later, ok? As for now, it’s understandable for you to not remember anything about his life right away.” Tom added, “But I can tell you who he was, if you are interested.”

Oh No.

Marco opened his eyes wide in panic. He was not prepared to hear Tom’s thoughts about him. He was always the odd one in his society, and Tom always seemed to be powerful and confident. Whenever Tom looked at him, Marco always felt as if Tom can see right through him.

“He was…the kindest person.” Tom misread Marco’s reaction as intrigue, “As the prince of underworld, I grew up with a lot of titles and expectations. People were afraid of talking to me, or even making eye contacts with me. My ex-girlfriend was the first one who stood up against me to point out my wrongs. But my human friend… He was the first to accept me as who I am.”

“I had a lot of anger issues earlier on in my life, which I was not proud of, but the more I fought against them, the harder it was to control them. I …kept thinking why I am so bad at friendship, was I a terrible person who doesn’t deserve friends. I hated… myself for a while, till I met him…when I was with him, I did not feel like I need to be ashamed, no need to hide…I could make peace with my flaws, I could…admit my problems and still like myself.”

Marco leaned in close to Tom’s chest.

Smells as inviting as campfire, he thought to himself and closed his eyes.

Tom attentively embraced the skin contact, “That’s why I never want to let him go. But I guess…Sometimes it was not up to me.”

“The portal to human world closed many years ago, before it sealed up completely, I panic knowing I would never see him again. Luckily, we had a chance to say goodbye one last time. I told him that we will see each other again. And I did try, I knew human soul could come through to the underworld, his would come here too. So, I made your body, and ready to ask elders to find a way to summon his soul to the underworld.”

Tom’s breath slowed down as Marco quietly grabbed the bottom of his shirt.

“…before I did that, I heard his voice from the poinsettia flower, that flower must connected me to the human world, since it was from his world. I was overjoyed, I was planning to stay all night and catch up with him, to tell him my plan, and our plan, and how happy I was to be able to see him again. But I soon realized … I can tell it was…his wedding night, he was the groom. He was about to have a family, a wife, he would have endless possibilities with his human life. How…how foolish was I.”

Tom let out a self-deprecating sneer, “I focused so much on how we could hang out again, I forgot that people…. generally move on with their life, especially the short life span species. And I, I thought it long and hard to conclude that…I could not do it. I simply could not take that away from him.”

“That’s…why.” Marco recalled these times poinsettia glowed, he tilted up his head to face Tom, “you knew back then that this body might not have human memories, even you did summon my soul here I would not remember what you did. Yet…you still chose to wait.”

“Of course, I wanted him to be with his family, I wanted him to be happy.” Tom answered with a delightful yet sad smile, “Although I missed him so dearly that I would be content with just having the soul as a fragment of my friend. At the end of the day, he doesn’t belong to me alone, he belongs to all the people who care about him. As much as I want you to be here, I cannot selfishly take him away…knowing that there will never be a sense of closure between I and him, and I will never see him in his human form again, I would at least want to live knowing that he has a happy life.”

Emotion washed through Marco’s mind as his vision blurred. It took him awhile to realized tears rolled down his face. He let out a quiet sob, kept staring at Tom.

_I …was not forgotten._

_I was missed._

_I was languished for._

_I was loved... beyond measure._

“I…hmmm.” Tom bit his lips with embarrassment, “I , I know this sounds ridiculous, and you are…you are obviously not him, but do you mind…do you mind telling me that…he had a happy life? Just with your voice… knowing that you are him in some form and some way. Tell me… it’s worth the wait.”

“Yes, it is.” Marco answered hastily with a hint of anger and tears, “And you are an idiot!”

“What…”

The poinsettia’s glow lightened the room as their silhouette projected on the wall.

Tom could barely respond to what was in front of him.

The demon kissed him.

He kissed him.

He was kissed by the body with Marco Diaz’s soul in it.

It tasted salty. Tom thought to himself.

Marco backed away from the kiss, looked uncertain as of why he did that.

“Poinsettia …”

“So you decided not to continue with your plan?” Marco soon broke the silence, he looked like he was about to weep.

“It is better this way…the portal was closed, what my plan is going to do for him...you?” Tom stroked his layered hair and curled goat horns, still reminiscing that enchanted kiss, “I don’t want him to waste his life trying to find a way to see me again. I know if I let go, he can carry on with his life. He deserved a better life… the one that he spends with the people he had. He taught me how to make others happy, and I have to honour him by doing the same…for him.”

Tears rolled down his cheek even faster, soon fell uncontrollably like avalanche.

“…please don’t cry, are, are you OK?” Tom caressed his face, tried to wipe away those tears.

“No! You asshole, I have four eyes now and I am drowning in my own tears!” Marco practically yell, “Why you made me into a four eyes demon?!”

“Right, that’s a problem.” Tom huffed a laughter, pressed on his shoulder blades and held him tight.

Tom waited 40 years for him.

Marco wanted to open mouth only to let hiccups escape, he grabbed onto Tom’s sash and wept madly.

“It’s ok, it’s ok.” Tom petted his arm and let Marco rest on his shoulder, “I am a demon, we live long, 40 years is nothing.” 

“It’s not…you just lying to make me feel better!”

“No…. don’t cry, I did not lie.” Tom in turns petted his head like comforting a little child, “Satan, you are quite a sensitive demon, Poinsettia, that’s no good if you are to survive here.”

“I…” Before Marco could tell him that he still has his memories he felt a swoop whipped against his body that shook him to his core. “What is …that?”

Tom genuinely looked disappointed and irritated by Marco’s experience. He could tell it’s a sign of Marco’s soul leaving this body, but he decided to breath to calm himself down, “It’s ok…it meant that your human body is still alive, as your soul’s longtime host, you will be summoned and returned to that body first.”

“You mean… I am not dead?” Marco started to float as the pull became stronger.

“Yes, don’t worry, you will go back to your old body, everything will be alright, OK?” Tom looked up and talked calmly, “We will see each other soon.”

“When?” Marco asked

He never forgot the look on Tom face. His handsome prince picked a poinsettia and put on the demon body’s chest, then gave him a shy smirk.

_\-- When you are ready._

_***_

Marco woke up to his family surrounding him. His body is sluggish and his skin wrinkled.

His vision clouded again but he can see from Star’s puffy eyes that she cried all night for him. He can feel Oceania’s grip on his arm. He can hear his grandchildren sobbing as they saw their grandma sob.

_\-- When you are ready._

Marco repeated that sentence in his heart and hugged everyone tight.

*****

Year after year he saw poinsettia glowed as he walked by, he smiled at them and quietly greeted, “Hi, Tom.” He knew that grand ball room, the charming prince and the dance could all be illusion created by his brain due to the lack of oxygen.

However, he was at ease, as if he saw the finishing line miles away and he could finally stop chasing. He could take his time to leisurely walk towards that goal. Even though he cannot see what’s on the other side of the line, he has faith to step across it.

Two decades after his stroke, on a tranquil morning, Marco walked into his bedroom and saw Star peacefully laying on their bed.

Surreally, she left the human realm looking like she was just taking a nap, without saying goodbye just like the implosive girl Marco always remembered.

Marco heard Star talked about her experience at the magic realm. She has seen her ancestors in that golden pond, she told Marco that maybe one day she will be with them.

He truly believed so.

Yet he sat beside Star and let tear fall on her face, splashed on her roughened skin like the last drop of autumn rain.

Marco wrote his will. Nobody mentioned anything or raised any issue. They did not foresee Marco leaving them anytime soon given Marco was relatively healthy other than that stroke years ago. Most of the time they just saw him sit quietly at the corner of his reading room, as if nothing phrased through him or surprised him anymore.

He would read books after books, sometime he forgot that he already read that same chapter twice, and found the writing just as entertaining the third time.

On Christmas Eve of that year, Marco decorated the whole house with poinsettia and watched them glow. The warmth of the flower gave him strength and comfort. His family is on the way to his house. By this time of his life, his grandchildren have graduated from high school and universities already, one even got engaged.

There is nothing he wants that he did not already have.

Marco placed a gem poinsettia pin under the Christmas tree like he promised so many years back. 

He gradually stood up and walked to his usual corner, looked at his reading room from his cranky leather chair.

He never imagined himself getting to where he is now. When he was a teenager, he imagined he would die a stupid and heroic death, or just wandered in other dimensions until he disappeared like other adventurers. But instead he had a fulfilling life, he laughed, cried, struggled, hurt, fought hard and enjoyed every moment as he breaths.

At the moment as morning sun peaked into his window, he finally got it.

This is the life Tom wanted him to have: to experience the joy of childbirth, to travel and see the world, to age and see the next generation bloom, and to finally depart from this realm with the blessing of his decedents.

Marco relaxed his body on the arm chair.

He day dreamed a lot these days, he saw ice cream drops on young Oceania’s face, Star’s golden hair shine brightly under the sunlight, Jacob’s cheerful smile on his wedding day.

He dreamed of the thousands paths he would have taken if the portal did not close that day. Would he be with Star till the end, or will his flame for her dim? Will Tom be there with them every Christmas, or will they grow apart? Will he fall out of love and fall in love again like untold fairytales?

…Will he be happier?

He kept thinking about Tom’s words from the coma he was in during the stroke.

_“You (he) deserve a good life.”_

_“It’s ok.”_

_“I will see you again when you are ready.”_

The senior exhaled as he drew one last smile.

***

Tom waits anxiously in his own bedroom; he observes the demon body Marco used to be in from above.

Deep down in his heart he knows Marco would eventually come to underworld after he die. A person who is not the love interest of a demon that accepted demon’s bribe and gift would not go to heaven, and Marco did many years back when he accepted the Mackie Hand Zombie show from Tom.

The awakening of Poinsettia the demon years ago had proven his point, he should not worry about these trivial details. Yet he is too nervous to convince himself not to.

At any moment, that elegant body will raise again in the ocean of poinsettia he grew in his private chamber around his bed.

“Poinsettia.” Tom calls his name under his breath, mind wanders aimlessly, “Today will be the day.”

All of a sudden, every poinsettia in his room lights up like fireflies near water banks. Tom senses movement under his hand, his face lights up with excitement and fervor as he reaches to help his pretty demon sit up on his bed.

“How are you feeling, Poinsettia?” Tom can’t help to ramble on, feeling he would otherwise implore, “Not uncomfortable, I hope. Do you want to eat anything? Are you tired? Do you need some space?”

Marco blinks his four eyes, then blinks again to make sure everything is clear. He lifts his head to face the king of underworld, from Tom’s expression filled with fondness, now mixed with a dash of lust, he knows his new king has never change, just for him.

He stops Tom’s endless chatter with a solemn kiss.

As Tom’s hand caress his body, Marco could tell that this body responded well to skin contacts with passion and desire. Before he pulls Tom down to his bed, Marco hangs around his neck and beams at him.

“Tom, it’s me, Marco, and…”

**I AM READY.**

**Author's Note:**

> This is the final writing of the flower theme trilogy. 
> 
> Carnem Manducans is the flower of underworld.  
> Hanahaki is the flower of Mewni.  
> And Poinsettia is the flower of Earth.
> 
> Hope you enjoy it.  
> Thank you for enduring my sorta broken English~  
> Happy Holiday~


End file.
